20+ Extracurricular Activities for Homeschool
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When you first look into how to start homeschooling, you may be concerned about extracurricular activities for homeschoolers. A lot of people have the misconception that homeschoolers live entirely in the confines of their homes. Little do they know that homeschoolers have most of the same opportunities as any other children their age. In today’s post, we’ll explore what my own children do for their extracurriculars, as well as what other homeschooled children can do!
What extracurriculars can homeschoolers do?
Homeschoolers can do whatever other children can do. My own kids participate in Boy Scouts and dance outside of our home. Homeschoolers are still members of the community and are welcome in community sports, classes, and other activities. Here is a list of extracurricular activity ideas to get you started:
- Scouts
- Dance
- Soccer
- Softball
- Baseball
- Kickball
- Swimming
- Theater
- Library Activities
- Youth Group
- Church Classes
- Vacation Bible School
- Martial Arts
- Day Camps
- Clubs
- AWANA
- Basketball
In addition to community events, many states have laws that allow homeschoolers to participate in public school sports. The last town I lived in actually had a homeschool “church school” with a very competitive athletics department. The children competed against public and private school teams.
How do homeschoolers socialize?
This question always makes me giggle. I think I find it so funny because we have a large family and my kids learn a lot just inside of our home, but we all know everyone needs to learn how to socialize with people outside the family, too!
Our kids socialize in their church groups, in their extracurricular activities, at library events, in our homeschool groups and classes, with the waiter at the restaurant, with the cashier at the store, with neighbors, the mailman, and anyone else they come into contact with! There are no lack of opportunities to “socialize” your child.
Homeschool Elective Ideas
In addition to extracurricular activities, we have added home extra homeschool subjects to our days.
We use Hoffman Academy for piano, Homeschool Spanish Academy for Spanish (read my Homeschool Spanish Academy review), and we just recently added Logic for my oldest child with The Fallacy Detective.
In addition to those things, we use The Homeschool Garden for lots of Charlotte Mason subjects such as artist study, poetry, hymn study, art lessons, handicrafts, poetry teatime ideas, and much more!
I am also considering adding in personal finance with Dave Ramsey’s Foundations in Personal Finance Middle School Edition., as well as the Tuttle Twins Guidebooks for teens on Logical Fallacies, Inspiring Entrepreneurs, and Courageous Heroes.
Don’t forget about physical education. We offer lots of opportunity for movement inside and outside of our home. We have a pogo ball and pogo stick for days when it’s too miserable to get outside. We also have a zip line, swing, and jungle gym outside.
Animal care is a big part of our homeschool, too. Our kids care for our dog, cats, chickens, and bearded dragon.
Finally, we include our kids in many of the activities we do in our home. They are learning how to cook, clean, care for things, and fix things by doing them with us. Life skills are just as important as academics!
